Miles McBride Could Stir the Pot More in New York with Potential Return
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Sometimes with injuries one gets news they do not quite expect. With Miles McBride, this was one of those times.
We discussed the state of the Knicks, Miles McBride, Cade Cunningham, Mike Brown, JR Smith’s NYK breakdown on @ToTheBaha show and more on The Putback with guests @TheFrankIsola and @SbondyNBA: https://t.co/aIQwOVqkA9
— Ian Begley (@IanBegley) March 19, 2026
No one quite knew when McBride might return but it is becoming more clear that the time could be closer at hand. The point guard/shooting guard has been taking contact along with form shooting. Now, the next step is practice. After that, the question becomes who do you take out?
Sports core injuries can have setbacks. This is something to keep in mind. With the guard rotation being the way it is for the New York Knicks, it will be interesting to see what happens next given the struggles of the Knicks' depth.
Miles McBride And The Recovery
Again, any sports core surgery has its ebbs and flows. Originally, McBride was expected to be out 6-8 weeks. That was February 6th. It is looking more and more likely that the earliest we see McBride is early April. Expect him to return to practice by then. After that, it is more getting in practice err game shape.
Jose Alvarado provided some early energy. He has cooled off. Mikal Bridges has struggled offensively too. All this opens the door at least somewhat. There is a window before the playoffs for McBride to return and make a little impact.
Mike Brown says he hasn't given much thought to how Jose Alvarado and Miles McBride will fit together in the Knicks' rotation. Alvarado said he'll help Deuce play more off the ball. Jalen Brunson says he's excited to see the duo in action. https://t.co/FYXB6EFvg4
— Kristian Winfield (@Krisplashed) March 19, 2026
Again, no one can definitely say when McBride is going to return. The rough estimate is 12-20 days as a best case scenario. The worst is that we do not see McBride until the playoffs. Saying impending may be generous here.
McBride averages 12.9 points per game with 2.9 assists but his defense and ability to grab steals is important here. The Knicks are close to winning the conference given the Cade Cunningham news. Detroit is no lock for the one seed and Boston may not win the division (only up 1.5 games).
Miles McBride Potential Playing Time And More
Sadly, with no firm timeline, McBride will not see 28 minutes a night as he did in his 35 games this season. That is the reality. What will he see? This depends on his health and also how he bounces back once he returns. McBride knows time is short and the Knicks do too. There are only six games in April as the regular season ends April 12th.
If he returns early, say April 1st, that gives him six games of action to get acclimated before the playoffs. Is that enough of a body of work to get him time in the playoff guard rotation? It might be. The longer this goes, the less time he sees.
Yes, there is little question that the New York Knicks miss Miles McBride. The only problem is he has to get on the court and perform. Until then, we wait.
